Motorists planning to travel into central London from Monday (October 23) will need to dig out an extra tenner due to the introduction of the T-Charge.

The Toxicity Charge has been launched by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan , and is aimed at the oldest polluting vehicles, mainly diesel and petrol cars registered before 2006, and some later models.

The charge will operate alongside the existing Congestion Charge which applies from Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm, meaning motorists will have to pay £10 on top of the £11.50 Congestion Charge, bringing the total cost of a drive into London to £21.50.

Anyone travelling into central London from the west of the capital will be required to pay a fee if they venture past the Park Lane border of Hyde Park.

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According to the London Assembly, every year thousands of Londoners die prematurely as a result of long-term exposure to air pollution and shockingly, 438 schools in the capital sit in areas which exceed legal air quality levels.

"London now has the world's toughest emission standard"

"As Mayor I am determined to take urgent action to help clean up London's lethal air" said Mr Khan.

He added: "The shameful scale of the public health crisis London faces, with thousands of premature deaths caused by air pollution, must be addressed.

The T-Charge is in addition to the Congestion Charge. (Image: Rui Vieira/PA Wire)

"Today marks a major milestone in this journey with the introduction of the T-Charge to encourage motorists to ditch polluting, harmful vehicles.

"London now has the world's toughest emission standard with older more polluting vehicles paying up to £21.50 a day to drive in the centre of the city.

"The T-charge is a stepping stone to the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, which could be introduced as early as 2019.

"This is the time to stand up and join the battle to clear the toxic air we are forced to breathe."

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The Mayor has announced £875 million will be spent over the next five years on tackling air quality with £300 million to be spent in clean buses in the city.

He also has plans to bring forward the Ultra Low Emission Zone from 2020 to 2019, with all vehicles in the current Congestion Zone area needing to meet exhaust emission standards or pay a daily charge to travel, 24-hours a day, seven days a week.